Island



Sept. A2, 1930.

R. J. WILKINSON KNITTING ELASTICI FABRICS :s 'Sheets-sheet 2 Filed Oct.7. 1927 Sept. 2, 1930. R. J. WILKINSON 1,775,033

KNITTING( LAsTIc nnrcs Filed Oct. 7, 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet ma d. ma.

Patented Sept. 2, 1930 i UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RICHARD J.WILKINSON, OF PAWTUCKET, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOB TO BIBELASTIC COMPANY,OF NEEDHAM HEIGHTS, IMASSACHU'SEI'ITS,l A. CORPORATION 0F KASSA-cHUsErTs KNITTING ELASTIC FABRICS Application led October 7, 1927.Serial No. 224,891.

Thisl invention relatos to methods and apparatus yforkmttmg scamlcs.-`tubular elastic fabrics of the type charzlctcrized by havlng a knittedbody of yarn with courses of elasticrubber thread inlaid in some of theyarn courses. A

The invention is particularly directed to the manufacture of a knittedgarment having courses o't' elastic rubber thread inlaid with 1 9certain of the yarn courses and with the elasticity of the rubber threadcourses varied at predetermined locations along the length 'z ofthegarment to provide varying degrees of elasticity and stretch of thegarment and with '15 the garment shaped to conform with the body of thewearer or having different and variable diameters along its length; andone-of the objects of this invention isa method and apparatus formanufacturing this garment.

' 20 A further object of the invention is the .pro-

vision of a circular knitting machine adapted to make tubular knitted'fabrics of yarn with means to inlay an elastic rubber thread in certainof the yarn courses of the fabric as the knitting progresses, and meansto vary the tension on the elastic rubber thread as it is inlaid in thefabric whereby to vary. the stretch of the fabric and also to shape thefabric:v Another object-of the invention is the provision of a circularknitting machine adapted for the inlaying of an elastic rubber thread inthe yarn courses of the fabric with means to vary the tension of theelastic rubber thread automatically in accordance with. a predeterminedpattern, whereby to shape the knitted garment. A yet further object ofthe invention is the o provision of an elastic thread feeding and 4attachment to be applied to existing knitting machines. y

Another object of the invention is the provisionof a circular knittingmachine arranged for the inlayingof an elastic rubber thread in but onecourse of a predetermined number of courses, as in .every other course,

or in every fourth course andthe like.

A yet further object of the invention is the provision of a circularknitting machine hav- .anism of Fig. 8.

variable tension mechanism adapted as an ing a plurality of yarn feedswith means to inlay in the yarn courses the same number or a lessernumber of rubber thread courses, whereby greatly to accelerate the speedof manufacture of the elastic fabric.

A yet further object of the invention is generally to improve uponmethods and apparatus for the manufacture of knitted elastic fabrics,the elasticity of which is provided by courses of elastic thread inlaidwith the yarn courses.

Fig. 1 'is a side elevation of a circular knitting machine embodyingthis invention, the bobbin frame support not being shown.

F ig. 2 is a plan. view of the machine of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a. plan view of the variable tension elastic thread feedingmechanism embodying the invention.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the mechanism of Fig. 1 taken along line4--4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is an end view of the thread feeding mechanism removed from theknitting machine.

Fig. 6 is a modified arrangement ofthe elastic thread feeding mechanismwherein the tension of the thread is adapted to be adjusted by hand.

Fig. 7 is a plan view showing the modified anism of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a front view of the tension ad` l justing mechanism for thefeed mechanism.

Fig. 9 is a side view of the tension mech- Fig. 10 is a plan view of thepattern plate of the tension mechanism.

Fig. 11 is a view of the tubular knitted elastic garment adapted to bemadeby the mechanism herein described.

Fig. 12 is a side elevation of the machine and illustrating particularlythe manner of extending the elastic rubber thread from the stationarycan to the feed and tension mechanism.-

The apparatus hero shown is adapted especially to knit the elasticgarment illustrated in Fig. 11, although it is not limited to themanufacture of such garment since the shape yas 'plates 22 anddimensions of the product of the machine can-be varied practically atwill.

The garment shown in Fig. 1l is a so-called combined girdle and brassirewhich is integral, tubular and seamless and has courses of elasticthread inlaid in certain ofthe yarn courses, with the tension of theelastic thread courses varied in certain parts of the garment `toprovidel the shape and stretch desired. l i

As shown in Fig. 11, the garment is large' at the hips a, is smaller atthe bottom b, con-` tracts gradually to the waist c, and graduallyenlarges to the bust portion d and may again contract to the top e. Theshape is provided by varying the elasticity of the rubber thread alongthe length of the garment; and the brassire porti'onof the garment orthat portion from e to c' may1 have a lighter'rubber than inthe girdleportion, or that portion from c'toib. I

l 'Ehe circular knitting machiney adapted for the making of this'garment -comprises a stationary cam ring supported on housing from abed'plate 24 which in turn is supported on legs 26. The knitting machinehasthe usual rotary needle cylinder 28 'which rotates within thestationary cam ring and has a cylinder gear 30 which meshes with a bevelear 32 carried by .the drive shaft A3,4 by which the needle cylinder maybe rotated. The machine has the usual dial vplate 36dis'- posedimmediately above the needle cylinder and under the dial cap 38 which issupported from and beneath the `dial arch 40,v which arch iscarried by'studsf42-from theI cam ring20. f

-' The yarn is `held in bobbins disposed above the machine on a bobbinframe sup ort 44 which is broken away in Fig. 1 and t e yarn -passesdownwardly and through yarn guides or carriers 46, Fig. 2, and thence tothe needles of the dial and cylinder.y The machine here j shown ris.adapted for four yarn feeds and .thus knits four yarn courses for eachrevolution of the cylinder. The machine so far described is' common inthe art.

In accordance with. this invention, ro-

vision is made for feeding elastic .ru ber thread into certain ofjtheyarn courses and for varying th e tension of the rubber thread' as maybe desired. As' here shown, the ma- `chine is arranged to feed elasticrubber thread 'into every other yarn course. and 'to this end isprovided with means to feed tvvov rubber threads at opposite sideslofthecylinder and adjacent two opposite yarn guidesil ably zontal foot 48which is supported upon the caml ring 20 adjacent theneedle cylinder andalso adjacent one of the yarn guides 46. Said foot is provided with'aslot 50 therein in which an attaching bolt 52, Fig. 2, threaded in the.cam ring 20 is passed. whereby toy secure the bracket lin properlyadjusted radial relation with the needle. cylinder. The bracket includesa vertical` support 54. An yarm '56 is disposed 'upon the top of saidsup-y port and-` isxed detachably theretoy by a screw 58 which is passedthrough said arm and is screw threaded into said support. A

verticalshaft 60 is j ournalled in and extends upwardly above said armand carries a thread driving cone 62 whichy is fixed detachably to saidshaftby the pin 64. Said cone preferis of metal and has aknurled outersurface and is large at the top and small at the bottom. A gear 66 is4iiced tothe lower endV of said] shaft 60 below said arm 56 andl isarranged inI mesh with thej needles 68 in the needle )cylinder 28, sothat as said needle lcylinder yis rotated, the needles are caused `todrive said gearw 66 and the driving. cone 62. A. second arm 70 ispivoted on said ver- -tical support V54 beside; saidglixed arm 56 by apivot pin 72 which passes lthroughsaid arm 70`and into said support 54.A vertical shaft 74 is fixed in thel end of saidarmy andl an idler cone7 6 is journalled-thereon. and is disposed in coo erating relation withsaid driving cone. aid cone 76` preferably. is similar to the drivingcone 62 in that it has the same dimensions andis of metal and has.aknurled'outer face. Saidcone 76, however,

is large at the lbottom and small at the to T he elastic rubberthread isadapted to e fed from asuitable source, not shown, through the bite ofthe cones and thence to theneedles. An arm 78 is Iixedto the side. ofthevertical support .54 and overlies the pivoted larm 70 and has anadjusting screw 80 therein which is adapted to bear against the pivotedlarm 70 to adjust the .position of the .idler cone with respect tothedrivingcone and thus to.,

adjust the presn're `of the cones on the elastic rubber thread. l n

1It isl apparent that the point of enga v cement bf the elastic rubberthread von the driving cone ldetermines the speed of feed ofthe rubberthread to the rotary needles and consequently ythe tension on thethread. For instance, if the rotary needles-move 10 while the 'conesfeed iao ber thread must be stretched out to 10 which vconsequentlycgives a six inch stretch to the or carriers 46 and at thepoint where the stitch@ -rubber and, lwhen. the goods are free and the,l is made. The elastic rubber thread feeding"-` a'nd tension mechanismfor both yarn threads are or may be identical and but one will bei4described. i

' 1. .Said feeding mechanism is shown most spei alsA i'fically inFigs.`3, 4 and 5.r The mechanism'. includes a supporting frame havingthe horirubber thread .can come to a knitted ease, the goods arecontracted'by an amount set by the stretch of the rubber thread. If thethread engages the driving cone 62 near the large in diameter. .When therubber thread engages the driving cone near the small end,

the speed of feed'of the rubber thread will l be relatively slow so thatthe rubber thread will be fed to the needles under strong tension and,consequently, will pull in the garment so that it will have reduceddiameter.

Byvarying the location of the thread up or down the cone, the tension ofthe thread `as it is fed to the needles can be varied and consequentlythe shape of the tubular fabric can be varied. The elastic rubber thread'l is guided into the bite of the cones through the tubular guide orcarrier 82.b Said carrier can occupy'any selected position between thehas a depending flat bar 84 which is slidable in a correspondinglyformed vertical slot provided inthe plate 86 attached to the front faceof the support 54.' AS thus arranged, the carrier is free for vertical'movements and ends of the cones, thus to vary the tension. of theelastic thread. When the tension of the elastic thread is to bemaintained practically constant as for knitting straight tubu-y larelasticgoods, the guide 8,2, see Fig. 6, can be movedvvertically by theadjusting screw 88, which is screw threaded into said carrier and bearsagainst the arm 56, into some position` which gives the proper tensionof the elastic 'thread and then left in such position until i't isrequired to change the f shown in Fig. 4 passes through the cones andthence downwardly through a passage in a thread guide-90 which iscarriedI bythe support 54 and is disposed above the top of the needlecylinder. If desired, the thread guide 82a may be provided with a guidearm 82h,

Fig. 6, which has a'thread passage 82c arranged -about in horizontalline with the thread passage in the-guide 82% through which the threadpasses downwardly into the guide 90. This arrangement serves to 'guidethe thread in a horizontal direction into and out. of the feed cones andunder some conditions` may serve to maintain a more accurate tension onthe elastic thread than with the construction shown in Fig. 4.Ordinarily, 110W-,

ever, it is fo'und unnecessary to use the for Ward guide 82". l i

In accordance with this invention, means! are rovided to vary thetension of the elastici rub er thread -automatically in accordance! witha predetermined pattern and to this endg tension adjusting means isarranged to move the 'guide 82 vertically in accordance with thepredetermined pattern whereby to position the rubber thread in drivingengagement with the driving cone at suitable diameters thereof. To thisend, the bar 84 ofthe threadA guide 82 is pivotally connected through ascrew 92 with the .upper end of a vertically extended link 94, seeFigs..1, 4, 8 and9. The lower end of said link is pivotally connectedwith the one end of a lever 96 thatfis 'pivotally connected intermediateits ends on a pin 98 passed through an upstanding plate 100 carried by abracket or frame 102 secured to the edge of the cam ring 20. Said lever96 is provided with a. plurality of longitudinally` spaced pin-receivingapertures 104 and said plate 100 is provided with a plurali-ty ofhorizontally-extended pin-receiving apertures 106. The pin 98 is adaptedto be inserted in any two of said apertures 106 and 104 that -may bebrought into alignment whereby to adjust the throw of the lever andconsequently the extent of vertical movement of the guide 82. Said leveris -reciprocated by va shaft108 rotatablein spacedbrackets 110. An arm112 is fixed to the inner end of said shaft and has a pin 114 extendedfrom the end thereof which operates in a longitudinal slot 116 lof saidlever 96. An arm 118 is clamped adjustably to the outer end of saidshaft 108 and has 'a longitudinally extended rod 120 received detachablyin an aperture in the lower end thereof. Said rod is provided with a.roller 122 at its freev end which is adapted to engage and ride over acam profile carried by a pattern disc 124. Sai'dpattern disc is shownmost clearly inFigs. 9 and 10, and comprises a circular disc providedwith a sries of screw threaded apertures 126 in one facethereof. Screws128 are adapted to be received in certain of said apertures to project1n the same direction from the face of the disc as shown in Fig. 9 toform an-adjustable cam profile; and the screws are placed in suchapertures 126 that the camprole will be of the shape desired. The shapeshown in Fig. 10 is approximately the shape required to form two of thegarments shown'in Fig. 11, the opposite and highest ends of the campro-4 file lfollowing a circular curve knitting the4 ends or welts ofthe garments under constant tension. The ca m'disc is adapted to rotateY, beneath the roller 122 -an'd thus raise and lower said roller, andconsequently the thread -guide 82, thus 'to vary the position of theelastic thread on the driving cone 62, and, consequently,- the tensionof the rubber thread. The weight of the arm 118 and associated parts isadapted to maintain the roller 122 in engagement with the cam pr'ole ofthe pattern disc 124, although it is obvious that if the weight isinsufficient, a spring, not shown, can be utilized for this purpose.

The rotation of the pattern disc 124 is controlled by a tensiongoverning mechanism carried by the depending arm 130 of thel bracket102. A'horizoiital stud shaft 132 is' fixed atone end tothe lowerportion of saidl 136 carried b Athe end of said shaft and bearing uponsai sprocket. A ratchet :wheel 138 of the same diameter as said patterndisc 1 24 is fixed to the hub 140 of and is rotatable with said sprocketat the inner end of said shaft.

Said pattern disc is disposed between said sprocket andratchet wheel andis loosely mounted on the hub 140 of said sprocket so that the sprocketcan rotate independently of said disc.- Said pattern disc is heldagainst rotation in abackward or clockwise direction,

Fig. 8, by the engagement of a spring finger 142 with the teeth 144 onthe-periphery of said disc. 'Sad spring finger is fixed to anhorizontally extended rod 146 disposed above the patternl disc andratchet wheel and fixed to the depending arm of the support bracket 102.The ratchet wheel 138 is similarly secured against 'backward' orclockwise movement b a gravity-operated pawl 148 which is journa led onsaid rod 146 and is arranged to engage the teeth of said ratchet. Saidratchet wheel 138 and the sprocket 134 are adapted to be advanced onetooth for each revolution of the needle cylinder. To this end, a camblock 150 having an upper cam face 152?, see Fig. 1, is secured to oneof the depending arms 154 of the take up frame, which frameis carried byand is rotatable with the needle cylinder as is common in the art. Anarm 156, see Figs. 8 and 9, is pivoted intermediate its ends on the endof the stud shaft 132 opposite said depending arm 130. A spring 160y isconnected lwith the left hand end of said lever 156 and with a bracket162 carried by the frame A102 to maintain the other end of said arm in adepressed position as shown in Fig.

- pawl 1 `ywhich is adapted to engage the teeth of the adapted normallyto be Held out of driving@ A provided wit 8. Said latter end of said armis provided with a pin 164 which extends inwardly beneath the cam ring20 and has a roller 166 thereon whichA is adapted to be engaged b thecamface of the cam block 1,50 at eac revolution of the needle cylinderfor the purpose' of raisingxsaid arm 156. Said arm 156 is to engage theteeth of the ratchet wheel 138 th`us to advance said' wheel andconsequently the sprocket 134 one tooth at each reciprocation of thearni 156. A spring 172 is connected with said awl 170 and with the frame102 whereby to gold the pawl ieldingly in engagementwith the teeth o theratchet wheel.

Said in 168 is also provided with a second 4 which is f.journalledthereon and pattern disc'. 124. Said ratchet, however, is

Yan outwardly-extended 168 which carries a pawl 170 which is adaptedyengagement with the pattern disc exceptrevolution of the needle cylinderby the'- ratchet wheel 138 and its pawl 17 0. The pattern chainis'adapted to control the driving engagement between the pawl 174 andthe pattern disc 124.. To this end, selected links of the pattern chainare higher than others yor are provided with raised projections 178. Anarm 180 is pivotally mounted on the pin 146 and overlies the sprocket134 and the lchain thereon. Said arm is provided with a dependingprojection or wiper pin 182 which has a tapered lower face 184. Saidwiper pin is adapted to be out of contact with the low links of thechain so that such links can pass thereunder without operating the arm180. The high links or projections 178 ofthe chain, however, are adaptedto engage said wiper pin and raise the arm 180 thus to free the pawl 174pattern disc. The arm 180 is provided with a downwardly extended rod 186which is disposed at one side of the pawl 174 and in front of a lateralprojection or pin 188 thereof and is adapted normally to serve as anabutment for` said pin and prevent the pawl from engaging the teeth ofthe pattern disc. When, however, the arm 180 is raised by the high linksof the chain, the rod 186 is moved away from the pawl thusto permit itto engage is reciprocated to move the pattern chain, it also slowlyadvances the pattern disc.'` When a high link passes from under the arm180, the arm drops and moves the pawl 174 out of engagement with thepattern disc` which consequently remains in set position until it isaoain actuated. No attempt has been made to s ow in the drawings theprecise number o r relation of the high links. A sufficient number willbe used. A spring 190 is cpn- -nected with the pawl 174 and a supportingarm 192 extended from the pin 1 68 to urge the pawl constantly towardthe pattern disc andalso te'hold the arm 1-84` in normal eleY vatedposition. Al leaf spring 194 is xed to the pin 146 and rengages alateral projection 196 of the arm 180 to return the arm to normalposition after a high link 178 has passed thereunder.

f With this arrangement, it is seen that the position of the elasticrubber thread between l carried Aby the pattern disc so that the ten- Esion of the rubber thread and", consequently,

l the shape imparted to the garment is autonatically varied inaccordance with the patsecond chain 200 (Fig. 1) and its conforengagement with the he feed cones is governed by the cam profile 325trolled mechanism 202, of usual construction which Welt preferablyisknitted Without and arrangement, are utilized to change the stitchfrom say, aplain rib stitch to a halfcardigan stitch for forming thewelt top and bottom, notshown, of the garment of Fig. 11, a change inshape.

The machine here shown is adapted for knitting four courses of yarn foreach revolution of the needle cylinder and for inlaying elastic rubberthread in each alternate yarn course. If one of the rubber threadfeeding mechanisms is disabled or removed or but one usedthen therubberthread will be inlaid in every fourth yarn course. Consequently, byproviding a sutcient number of yarn feeds, and cams to form the stitchat each yarn feed, and a suitable number of elastic ,thread feedingmechani-sms I am enabled to knit and shape an elastic garment veryrapidily and to inlay the thread in every course or 1n such courses asmay be desired, and to obtain a garment of any desired shape and degreeof` compressional effect.

Itshould be 'noted that the rubber thread .l is supplied to the feed andtension cones at ease or under no other tension than that caused bythe'weight of the unsupported i length thereof between'the skein ofthread and the cones, which length is always the same. In Fig. 12, ltherubber thread T is drawn from askein contained in a can 204'stationarily supported on the floor beside the to the cones underconstant unvar ing conmachine. The thread extendsl upwardly and freelythrough a guide 206and thence hori- .zontally andfreely through a secondguide 208 and thence downward to the feed and tension cones. The lengthof' thread is thus constant and .the weight of the dependent lengths isso slight that thel thread passes to `the cones at ease or at most undertension, which, is constant.

a trivial It is important to supply the rubber threadI ditionsqfor, ifthe tensionfof thev t read before the cones varies, the tension of thethread between the cones and needles will also vary vfrom the tensiondetained by the cones and thus nullify the purpose of the tensionmechanism and, at least, produce a fabric which'is uneven orirregular inshape.

It will therefore be apparent that apparatus wherein the rubber threadis subjected to uncontrolledy or changing forces before it gets to thetension mechanism cannot produce-a fabric of smooth and regularappearance.

The Dknurled faces oi." the feed cones 72 and 76-are of considerableimportance and were v arrived at only after a. relatively -flarge amountof experimentation. havin the faces of the cones knur1ed, the grlp o thecones on the elast-ic thread not only is made positive butthread knotsor 'bunches are positively fedthough the bite of the .cones i since thebunches and knots occupy the restay in front of the cones and the threadwill stretch and finally break. This trouble does not appear withknurledcones.

The construction may be otherwise modified without departing from thespirit of the invention. .4

The term rubber thread as herein employed is intended to include asingle elastic strand as well as two or more strands united to form athread.

I claim: I

l.' The combination ina knitting machine, of a stationarily-supportedframe, a rotary needle cylinder supported by said frame, means fixed' tosaid frame for vfeeding an elastic'thread .to the .rotary needlecylinder under variable tensions and including means to vary the tensionof the elastic thread, pattern mechanism.fixed to said frame, meansrotatable with said needle cylinder for operating said.stationarily-supported pattern mechanism, and means constantly extendedbetween said pattern mechanism and tensionvarying means and controlledby said pattern mechanism for controlling said tension-varyguidedisposed in front and movable lengthwise. of said cones, whereby tovarythe engaging position of the thread with the cones and consequently thetension of thev thread, stationarily-supported pattern mechanism, meansrotatable with said cylinder for operating said pattern mechanism, andmeans constantly extended between said pattern mechanism and said threaduideand controlled by said pattern mechanism for moving said threadguide lengthwise of said cones for varying the tension of the rubberthread.

3. The combination with a circular knitting machine .and its rotaryneedle cylinder and the needles therein, of means -to feed a`n elasticthread under variable ltension to the needles including 'a pair ofvertical cones ldisposed beside and adjacent said cylinder,

'a stationary support for said cones, a gear earned by one of said cones1n mesh with the needles of said cylinder, whereby .the cone is driven'by said needles, a. thread guide dispgsed in front and movablelengthwise of th of said cones to vary the engaging position of thethread on said cones andY consequently the-tension on said thread, meansbiasing said guide constantly for movement in rotated position ofsaidcylinder one direction' lengthwise of said cones, andstationari'l'y-supported pattern mechanism having means which `isinconstant control of regardless of any and which supports saidthreadguide against the .action of said biasing means.

4. Apparatus forv delivering elastic rubber thread under variabletension to a knittin the position of said guide machineincluding a pairof cooperating fee cones which are coextensive in length, driving meansfor one only of said cones, thel other cone constituting an idler cone athread said cones, and means to move said idler conetoward andl awayfrom the other cone 1n` cluding a swinging support for the idler cone,andy means controlling'the position of said support having means to holdsaid sup ort in set positionagainst movement away om said driving cone.1

6, Apparatus for delivering elastic rubber thread under variabletension, to a knitting machine including a supporting bracket, a

vertical feed cone journalled on said bracket,

driving means for said cone, a swinging sup- `port `carried by saidbracket movable toward and away from said cone, a second vertical conejournalled on and extended above said l swinging support, said coneslbeing coextensive 1n height, means including an adjustable stop membercontrolling the position of said lswinging support with respect to saidfirst cone `and a thread guide carried by said bracket independently ofand movable lengthwise of both of said cones.

7. Apparatus for delivering elastic rubber thread undervariabler'tension to a knitting machineincluding `Aa supporting bracket,a Bair of cooperating cones journalled on said racket, dnving means forone of said cones, a thread guide movable 'lengthwise of said cones,yielding' means constantly urgin said guide for movement toward one endo said cones, and means controlling the position of said guide arrangedto hold it in set position against said urging means. e

8. The combination with a knitting machine, of a paratus for feedingelastic rubber thread un er various predetermined tensions totheknitting machine, whereby to rovide a fabric having `a variable outline,including thread driving mechanism having :means to vary the tension ofthe thread in a continuously variable manner, a movable member v theposition of which determines the tension o f the rubber thread and whichcan be 'moved in a continuously variable manner, and pattern mechanismcontrolling the position of said movable member including a rotarypattern disc havingmeans providing a ca'm the proile of whichcorresponds with the outline of the knitted fabric, and a followerriding constantly on said cam-profileI having a xed connection with saidmovable member by which s aid movable member and follower are caused tomove conjointly. 1

9. The combination with Aa knittingy machine, of apparatus for feedingelastic rubber thread under variable tension to the knit- 'tingmechanism whereby to provide a fabric having a variable outlineincluding thread driving mechanism having means to vary the' tensionv ofthe thread in a continuously variable manner, a movable member theposition of which determines the tension of the rubber thread and whichcanl be moved in a continuously variable manner and pattern mechanismcontrolling the position of said movable member including a rotarypattern disc having a plurality of pin-receiving apertures in one facethereof and pins received in said apertures in cooperative positionsforming a cam theproile of which corresponds with the outline oftheknitted fabric, and a follower constantly riding on said pins having aiixed 4connection with said movable member by which said movable memberand follower are caused to move conjointly.

10. The combination with a knitting machine, of apparatus for feedingelastic rubber thread under variable tension to the knitting mechanism,whereby to provide a fabric having a variable outline, including threaddriving mechanism having means to vary the tension of the thread in acontinuously variable manner, a movable member the position of whichdetermines the tension of .the rubber thread and lwhich canbemoved in acontinuously variable manner, and pattern mechanism controlling'theposition' of said movable member including a rotary member providing .acam the profile of which corresponds wit theontline lof the knittedfabric, a follower riding constantly on saidcam-proile having a fixedconnectionwith said movable member by which 'said movable member andfollower are cludin a pattern chain governing the rotal tion o saidrotary member.

'A 11. The combination with a knitting'machine, of apparatus for feedingelastic rubber .thread under variable tension to the knittingmechanism,\whereby to provide a fabric l having a variable outline,including thread aused to move conjointly, and means ink drivingmechanism having means to vary the a movable member the position chaincontrolling tension of the thread in a continuouslyvari-- ber thread,and pattern mechanism controlling the position of said -movable memberincluding a rotar member providing a cam the profile of whic correspondswith the outline 0f the knittedl fabric, a follower riding constantly onsaid cam-profile having a fixed conber thread under Variable tension tothe knitting mechanism whereby to provide a fabric having a variableoutline, including thread driving mechanism having means to vary thetension of the thread in a continuously variable manner a movable memberthe position of which determines the tension of the rubber thread, andpattern mechanism controlling the position of said movable member in-fcluding a rotary member providing a cam the profile of which correspondswith the outline of the knotted fabric, a follower rid- .mg constantlyon said cam-profile havin al fixed lconnection with said movable mem erby which said movable member and follower are caused to move conjointly,a reciprocatory driving member for said rotary member having a pawlmovable into and out of driv- A ing engagement with said rotary member,acontro member controllingthe action of said pawl and a pattern chaingoverning said control member'.

13. The combination with a knitting machine, of apparatus for feedingelastic rubher thread under variable tension to the knitting mechanism,whereby to provide a fabric having a variable outline including threaddriving mechanism having means to vary the able manner, a movable membertheposition of which determines the tension of the rubber thread, andpattern mechanism controlf ling the position of said-movable memberincluding a rotary member providing a cam the` profile of whichcorresponds with the otline of the knitted fabric, afollowerriding-constantly onsaid cam-profile having a -xed connectlon with lsaidmovable member by which said movable member and follower -pattern chain.

are caused to move conjointly, a s rocket a pattern chain'4 therein, aratchet w eel drivmg said sprocket, a-reciprocatory member operated bythe rotation of the cyhnder having a pawl for moving said ratchet wheelstep by step, a second pa l for driving said rotary member, and a ontrolmember for connection between said rotary member be operated by saidsaid second pawl an disposed in position to 14. ,Apparatus fordelivering elastic rubber thread under variable tension to the needlesof a knitting machine, whereby to provide a. knitted fabric having avariable outline, including thread driving means arranged to vary thetension of the thread in a continuously variable manner, a movablemember, the position of which determines the tension'of the thread, saidmember being movable in a continuously variable manner, and a patternmechanism for controlling the position of said movable member includinga bracket, a shaft carried thereby, a toothed pattern disc having meansproviding a cam profile rotatably supported on said shaft, a followerriding constantly on said cam profile havin(r a fixed connection withsaid mov.- able member by which said movable member and follower arecaused to move conjointly, a sprocket'journalled on said shaft, aratchet wheel on said shaft beside said pattern disc and lixed to saidsprocket, a reciprocatory arm for advancing both said disc and ratchetwheel, pawls carried by said arm adapted to engage both said disc andwheel, a control lever adapted normally to hold one of said pawls out ofdriving engagement with said pattern disc, and having a wiper memberdisposed in position to be engaged vby said pattern chain and operatedto release said pawl.

15. Apparatus for delivering elastic rubber thread under variabletension to the needles of a knittin vide a lmitted fa ric having avariable outline, including thread driving means arranged to vary thetension of the thread in a continuously. variable manner, a movablemember the position of which determines the tension of the thread, saidmember being movable in a continuously variable manner, and a patternmechanism for controlling the position of said movable member includin acam-follower having a fixed connection wlth saidl movable member bywhich said movable member and follower are caused to move conjointly, acam-member rotatable under said ollower in constant engagementtherewith, a pattern chain, driving mechanism for said cam-member andchain having provision for driving said chain continuously step-b-step,4

machine, whereby to proand means controlled by said chain avingA controlof the drive of said cam-member.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specicatio RICHARDJ. WILKINSON.

